Machine for opening eggs and separating the shells of the eggs and their contents



Feb. 21, 1950 E. w. SCHABER 2,498,182

MACHINE FOR OPENING EGGS AND SEPARATING THE SHELLS OF THE EGGS AND THEIRCONTENTS Filed June 11, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F ig.

9 7 Inventor Elmer W. Schaber By M Feb. 21, 1950 E. w. SCHABER MACHINEFOR OPENING EGGS AND SEPARATING THE Filed June 11, 1947 SHELLS OF THEEGGS AND THEIR CONTENTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 Q m H Elmer w .Schaber Feb.21, 1950 E. W. SCHABER MACHINE FOR OPENING EGGS AND SEPARATING THESHELLS OF THE EGGS AND THEIR CONTENTS Filed June 11, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet3 1 m nun r w Inventor Elmer W. .Schaber Patented Feb. 21, 1950 MACHINEFOR OPENING EGGS AND SEPA- RATING THE SHELLS OF THE EGGS AND THEIRCONTENTS Elmer W. Schaber, Sholes, Nebr.

Application June 11, 1947, Serial No. 753,836

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine primarily designed for opening eggsand separating the shells of the eggs and their contents, although themachine is adaptable to. other analogous uses.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a machine ofthe above kind by means of which the operations of opening the eggs andseparating the shells of the eggs and their contents may beexpeditiously and continuously performed in. an efiicientmanner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine forautomatically opening eggs and soparating the. shells thereof from thecontents of the same, and for delivering; the. contents and shellsseparately from the machine.

A further object. is to provide an improved machine of the above kindwhich is comparatively simple in construction and. highly efi'icient inoperation.

The exact nature of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine constructed in accordance withthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 3--3 of Figure2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 4-4 of Figure l anddrawn on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 5--5 of Figure4.

Figure 6. is a perspective view of the. slatted support for the carrierbelt provided at the top of the receptacle which receives, the contentsof the egg shells.

Figure '7 is a horizontal, section taken on line l--T of Figure 4..

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on line 8--8or Figure 4.

Figure 9 is. a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner in whichrollers may be provided at, the top of the receptacle and in associationwith the upper run of the. carrier belt when the machine. is employedfor splitting fruit and exing the water at such level. An endlessforaminous carrier belt 8 passes around idler rollers 9 and a drivingroller ill-so as to be movable in a vertical orbital path within thecasing 5 and so as to provide an upper horizontal run at a which moveslongitudinally of the casing near the top of the latter and is adaptedto have eggs'deposited on the end thereof which is at the left ofFigures 1, 2' and 4. A gang disk cutter H is arranged above the upperrun a of the carrier belt in position for splitting the shells of theeggs as they move toward the other end of said run.

An open top receptacle [2 is arranged beneath the upper run a of thecarrier belt to receive the contents of the shells after the latter aresplit by the cutter H, and an endless conveyor I3 is arranged to receivethe shells as they are discharged from the carrier belt. 8 at said otherend of the run a, and to deliver said shells from the casing at the. endoutlet at M.

The carrier belt 8 and the apron or conveyor l3 are preferably made ofwire mesh fabric, and the belt 8 is driven by the friction roller l0 andanother similar friction roller l5 coacting therewith, the belt 8passing between said rollers l0 and 15 as shown. The cutter llpreferably consists of a plurality of cutter disks 16 secured. upon arotary driven shaft I! in spaced relation-as more clearly shown inFigure 8. Fingers l8 are fixedly mounted to project downwardly betweenthe cutter disks l5 and keep. the spaces therebetween clear of eggshells.

The carrier belt 8 has a lower run I) which passes beneath. thereceptacle l2, and the conveyor it extends beneath said lower run 17.The water level t is at a point. between the runs'a and b, and suchwater acts to wash adhered portions of the contents of the egg shellsfrom the carrier belt and the conveyor 13.. Brushes I9, are provided forremoving adhered portions of the egg shell contents from the carrierbelt 8., and other brushes 2i] and 2!. are provided. for a similarpurpose in connectionv with the roller [5 and the conveyor It. The.latter brushes are. of the fountain type. suitably supplied, with waterunder pressure through the hollow shaftsv thereof, and all of the.brushes are. of cylindrical form and of the. driven rotary kind.Suitable slatted sup. ports. 22' and 23 are. provided to preventv saging of the. lower run 12 and the. upper run of conveyor [3. Anotherslatted support 2-4. is. provided. for the upper run; a; at the top ofthe receptacle 12-. Near the bottom, and at, each end, casing 5.- isprovided with a clean-out. opening; 25.. provided withasuitablewater-tight closure 26. v

A drain board 21 extends beneath a portion of the run a from a point inadvance of the cutter Ii to the receptacle H.

The shafts of roller l and brush are intergeared as at 28, and theshafts of brushes l9 and 20 are inter-geared as at 29. A belt gearing isprovided between the shaft of brush l9 and the shaft of a roller 30provided at the discharge end of conveyor l3 and about which the apronof said conveyor l3 passes. Another belt gearing 32 is provided betweenthe shaft of roller 3| and the shaft of brush 2i. Still another beltgearing 33 is provided between the shaft of brush 20 and the shaft ofroller 15. A belt gearing 34 is provided between the shaft of roller l5and the shaft I! of cutter H. Belt gearing 35 connects the shaft ofcutter II with the shaft of one of the brushes I!) at the receiving endof the machine, the shafts of the latter brushes being inter-geared asat 36. of the shafts may be driven by a motor, not shown, therebycausing rotation and movement of the various parts in the directionsindicated by the arrows. Suitable shields or guards 31 and 38 arerespectively provided over the cutter H and roller l5.

As more clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3, the receptacle I2 has a bottomoutlet 39 at one side which communicates with a discharge spout 40 onthe outside of easing 5. Communication between the outlet 39 and spout40 is controlled by a gate valve 4| which may be opened from time totime for discharging the contents from the receptable I2.

In operation, the eggs are suitably delivered onto the run a of carrierbelt 8 in advance of the cutter ll. Assuming that the various parts arebeing driven, the eggs are carried past the cutter ll so that the lattersplits the shells thereof and releases the contents of said shells. Thesaid contents flow through the belt 8 into the receptacle l2 forcollection, and the shells are carried past said receptacle I2 by belt 8between the rollers I0 and i5 for being crushed and discharged from belt8 onto conveyor l3. Conveyor l3 delivers the shells from the machinethrough the outlet l4. Any shell fragments or other matter washed fromthe lower run b of belt 8 will also be carried from the machine byconveyor 13 as the latter extends completely under the run b as shown.Brushes i9, 20 and 2| keep the belt 8, roller I 5 and conveyor I3 freeof shells and the like so that a clean and sanitary condition maintains.The water in the casing 5 is constantly changed due to the continuoussupply of Water thereto from the brushes 2D and 2! and the continuousoverflow of water from the casing 5 through the overflow pipe I. Fromtime to time, the contents of the egg shells may be withdrawn fromreceptacle 12 through outlet 39 and spout 40.

In case the machine is desired to be used for splitting fruit andexpressing juice from the fruit, coacting rollers 43 and 44 may bejournalled across the top of receptacle I2 above and below the run a ofbelt 8 as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the upper roller 43 beingyieldingly pressed toward the lower roller 44 by yieldable meansgenerally indicated at 45 and well-known in the art of fruit juicingmachines. When these coacting press rollers 43 and 44 are employed asdescribed, the fruit may be deposited on the run a in advance of cutterll. As the fruit is carried past said cutter they are split by thelatter, and the fruit sections are then pressed between the rollers Anyone i 43 and 44 so as to express the juice therefrom into receptacle l2.The fruit skins are then delivered past the receptacle [2 by belt 8 anddischarged from the latter onto conveyor l3 for delivery from themachine.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction,operation and advantages of the present invention will be readilyunderstood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a machine for opening eggs and separating the shells of the eggsand their contents, the combination of a horizontally elongated open topcasing, an endless foraminous carrier belt movable in a vertical orbitalpath within said casing so as to provide an upper horizontal run movinglongitudinally of the casing near the top of the latter and adapted tohave the eggs deposited on one end thereof, a gang disk cutter arrangedabove said upper run for splitting the shells of the eggs as they movetoward the other end of said run, an open top receptacle provided with avalve controlled bottom outlet leading outwardly through one side of thecasing, said receptacle being arranged beneath said run to receive andcollect the liquid contents of the shells after the latter are split bysaid cutter, and an endless conveyor arranged beneath said carrier beltto receive the shells as they are discharged from said carrier belt atsaid other end of said run and to deliver said shells from the easing,said carrier belt having a lower run passing beneath said receptacle,said conveyor extending beneath said lower run, said casing comprising atank adapted tocontain water to a level between said upper and lowerruns for washing adhered portions of the contents of the egg shells fromsaid carrier belt and said conveyor, and brushes for removing saidadhered portions from the carrier belt and the conveyor, at least one ofsaid brushes being of the fountain type supplied with water underpressure.

2. The construction defined in claim 1, in combination with upper andlower friction driving rollers for said carrier belt arranged to crushthe egg shells at said other end of the upper run, and a fountain brushsupplied with water under pressure and arranged to clean the upperdriving roller.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of ahorizontally elongated opentop casing, an endless foraminous carrierbelt movable in a vertical orbital path within said casing so as toprovide an upper horizontal run moving longitudinally of the casing nearthe top of the latter and adapted to have liquid containing articlesdeposited on one end thereof, a gang disk cutter arranged above saidupper run for splitting the articles as they move toward the other endof said run, an open-top receptacle provided with a valve controlledbottom outlet leading outwardly through one side of the casing, saidreceptacle being arranged beneath said run to receive and collect theliquid contents of the articles after the latter are split by saidcutter, an endless conveyor arranged beneath said carrier belt toreceive the liquid containing portions of said articles as they aredischarged from said carrier belt at said other end of said run and todeliver the same from the casing, said carrier belt having a lower runpassing beneath said receptacle, said conveyor'extending beneath saidlower run, said casing comprising a tank adapted to contain water to alevel between said upper and lower runs for washing adhered portions ofthe contents of the articles from said carrier belt and from saidconveyor, and brushes for removing such adhered portions from thecarrier belt and the conveyor.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination or" ahorizontally elongated open top casing, an endless foraminous carrierbelt movable in a vertical orbital path within said casing so as toprovide an upper horizontal run moving longitudinally of the casing nearthe top of the latter and adapted to have deposited on one end thereofliquid-containing articles to be split, a gang disk cutter arrangedabove said upper run for splitting the articles as they move toward theother end of said run, an open top receptacle provided with a valvecontrolled bot tom outlet leading outwardly through one side of thecasing, said receptacle being arranged beneath said run to receive andcollect the liquid contents of said articles after the latter are splitby said cutter, an endless conveyor arranged beneath said carrier beltto receive the solid portions of said articles as they are dischargedfrom said carrier belt at said other end of said run and to deliver themfrom the casing, said carrier belt having a lower run passing beneathsaid re= ceptacle, said conveyor extending beneath said lower run, saidcasing comprising a tank adapted to contain water to a level betweensaid upper and lower runs, and brushes for cleaning the carrier belt andthe conveyor, at least one of said brushes being of the fountain typesupplied with Water under pressure.

ELMER W. SCHABER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

